Stabilized platform for window cleaning and like uses

ABSTRACT

A suspendible platform comprising a frame with a decking, means on the frame for urging the frame towards a surface to be traversed by the platform and surface-engaging means on the frame.

[451 Jan. 25, 1972 United States Patent Cox m H mm n E M e mm m H N U M U 154] STABILIZED PLATFORM FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND LIKE USES [721 Eric William McLachla 741298 10/1903 Binney......................... armmNew South walesiAustralia 3 464 520 9/1969 Anderson..............................

Mar. 12, 1970 [22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado AttorneyEmory L. Groff and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

App]. No.:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT Man 25 1969 Ausralianw"WW-u"Wm-m A suspendible platform comprising a frame with a decking,

means on the frame for urging the frame towards a surface to be traversed by the platform and surface-engaging means on the frame.

[52] US. CL...............v..........182/222, 182/142, 182/150 [51] Int. ......i.v....F04g 3/10 182/142, 222,150

Field of Search ................j111111111111 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIED M25 1972 sum 10F 2 $637107 FIG.

STABILIZED PLATFORM FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND LIKE USES This invention relates to workmans platforms of the type suspended from a structure, e.g., a building or tower in a manner enabling the platform to be raised and lowered.

Hitherto it has been common practice to incorporate in building exteriors vertical rails also called mullions, in which wheels on the platform engage thereby preventing undesired movement of the platfonn as might, for example, be caused by wind. Although a stabilized platform is obtained by this means, the rails and their precision fixing to a building in creased the cost of the building considerably.

It is the object of this invention to provide a platform of the above type which does not require rails but which incorporates means which will achieve the desired degree of stability under all conditions. The platform of this invention is usable on all types of structures having substantially upright surfaces, e.g., buildings, walls, chimneys, inclined roofs and skeletal towers.

Basically the invention comprises a platform for suspension in working juxtaposition to a substantially upright surface said platform comprising a frame, a decking on the frame, attachment means on the frame whereby the platform is suspendible, surface engaging means and airjet means on the frame to maintain the frame in the said working juxtaposition with said surface-engaging means operatively engaging said surface.

Two embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the platform;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the platform;

FIG. 3 is a sectional end view on line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the platform in working juxtaposition to a wall.

The platform of FIG. 1 comprises a skeletal frame having upper and lower front rails l and 2, upper intermediate and lower back rails 3, 4 and 5, upper and lower end rails 6 and 7 and short and long corner post 8 and 9. A decking 10 is fixed to the rails 2, 5 and 7. Inverted U-shaped brackets having bases II and front and rear legs 12 and 13 are fixed to the frame. The front legs 12 are fixed to frame rails 1 and 2 and the rear legs 13 are fixed to frame rails 3, 4 and S. A pair of lugs 14 are fixed to each bracket base 11 with holes 15 therethrough.

Platform-suspending cables (not shown) are attachable to the lugs 14 in any suitable manner.

Fixed to the frame are two tubular casings 16 extending from the front of the platform to beyond the back thereof. Mounted in the casings are electric motors 17 carrying multibladed impellers 18, Mounting plates I9 are adjustably secured to the rails 7 of the frame. Wheels on the plates 19 project beyond the front rail 2 of the platform.

Referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that the plates 19 and wheels 20 are replaced by bristle-bordered panels 22. The bristles 23 are deformable and combine with the panels 22 to form open front compartments from which air is drawn by the impellers 18.

From FIG. 3 it will be seen that with the platform in working relationship with a wall 24 the compartment fronts are covered thereby and the flow of air to the impellers I8 is throttled.

The volume of air reaching the impellers is dependent upon the density of bristles and a condition of negative pressure within the compartments can be obtained. The compartments thus act as suction cups to supplement the air jets in holding the platform against the wall 24.

It is anticipated that in some working conditions with the compartment arrangement the space between the bristles may become choked with dust. To offset this the embodiment of FIG. 2 can be fitted with the wheels 20 of the embodiment of FIG. I. By so doing a constant and regulatable gap between the bristles 23 and the wall 24 can be maintained with a resultant substantially constant degree of negative pressure being maintained within the compartments.

In place of the bristled panels, compartments may be formed by the use of bellows-shaped units in which case the use of wheels 20 would be necessary.

With bristles panels or bellows it would be possible to shape the compartment from edges to accommodate profile features of a wall, e.g., a vertical decorative rib as used on some high rise buildings.

For building walls provided with regularly spaced projecting vertical abutments end jets on the platform can be used to supplement the jets directed outwardly from the wall. The end jets impinge on the abutments thereby maintaining the platform substantially central between a pair of abutments while the jets from the impellers 18 hold the platform against the wall.

It is invisaged that balancing jets can be directed onto the wall to act in the same way as the wheels 20. In this case the thrust of the jets acting towards the wall would be regulated so that there is a resultant thrust urging the platform against the wall with the balancing jets maintaining an air cushion between the platform and the wall.

What is claimed is:

1. A platform for suspension in working relationship to a substantially upright surface, said platform comprising a frame, a decking on the frame, attachment means on the frame whereby the platform is suspendible, at least one compartment on the frame having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being positioned to lie adjacent said surface when said platform is in its working relationship to said surface, air jet means on the frame to create a negative pressure in the compartment by withdrawing air through the outlet thereof and thereby creating an air jet directed away from said surface and surface-engaging means to maintain said platform in said working relationship with said surface.

2. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air jet means comprises an impeller housed in an open-ended casing communicating with said compartment.

3. A platform as claimed in claim 2 wherein the impeller is driven by an electric motor.

4. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface-engaging means is shaped to correspond with any profile features of said surface.

5. A platform as claimed in claim I wherein said compartment has a deformable surface-engaging border.

6. A platform as claimed in claim 5 wherein the border is a band of bristles.

7. A platform as claimed in claim 5 wherein the border is of bellows shape.

8. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface-engaging means are wheels.

9. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface-engaging means comprise air jets. 

1. A platform for suspension in working relationship to a substantially upright surface, said platform comprising a frame, a decking on the frame, attachment means on the frame whereby the platform is suspendible at least one compartment on the frame having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being positioned to lie adjacent said surface when said platform is in its working relationship to said surface, air jet means on the frame to create a negative pressure in the compartment by withdrawing air through the outlet thereof and thereby creating an air jet directed away from said surface and surface-engaging means to maintain said platform in said working relationship with said surface.
 2. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air jet means comprises an impeller housed in an open-ended casing communicating with said compartment.
 3. A platform as claimed in claim 2 wherein the impeller is driven by an electric motor.
 4. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface-engaging means is shaped to correspond with any profile features of said surface.
 5. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said compartment has a deformable surface-engaging border.
 6. A platform as claimed in claim 5 wherein the border is a band of bristles.
 7. A platform as claimed in claim 5 wherein the border is of bellows shape.
 8. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface-engaging means are wheels.
 9. A platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface-engaging means comprise air jets. 